Fold-away spool holder for a sewing machine



May 20, 1969 J. BLACKWOOD ET AL FOLD-AWAY SPOOL HOLDER FOR A SEWINGMACHINE and Wrfnass United States Patent 0 U.S. Cl. 112218 5 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A spool holder for a sewing machine rotatableinto an exposed position when the machine is to be operated and into astored position in a cavity in the sewing machine when the machine is tobe stored or moved.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The inventionpertains to an adjustable spool support for a sewing machine adapted tobe placed in an upright or lowered position and having fold-away meansfor accomplishing the same in a novel, eflicient, desirable manner.

Description of the prior art Sewing machines usually are equipped with aconventional stationary spool support having a pin upon which a spool ofthread may be mounted and used as the source of needle thread supply.Generally, the pin is mounted on the bracket arm of the machine framesuch that a line drawn through the axis of the pin is substantiallyperpendicular to the plane defined by the flat Work supporting surfaceof the frame. The overall height of the bracket arm, as measured fromthe work supporting surface to the topmost surface of the bracket arm,is thereby increased by the height that pin protrudes from the bracketarm surface.

Sewing machines intended for use in the home generally are stored in acabinet provided with means for lowering the machine into storedposition within the cabinet or the machine may be of the portable typeand stored in a portable carrying case. The top of such cabinets have asubstantially rectangular machine mounting memebr which is pivotallysupported by the cabinet top and is disposed to move in and out of thecabinet. When the machine is lowered to stored position, every pointthereof describes an arc around the pivot axis. The greatest arc isdescribed by the free end of the spool support pin. Accordingly, theopening which receives the machine must be dimensioned to accommodatethe greatest arc. Thus, it is apparent that relocating the pin willallow for a reduction in one of the dimensions of the opening. Thisallows for the corresponding dimensions of the cabinet top to be reducedthereby allowing for the manufacture of a more compact, space saving,less expensive cabinet. Substantially similar advantages are present inregard to the type of portable carrying case which can be manufacturedsince with the present invention, the machine per se is the significantconsideration in determining the size of the case.

Furthermore, protrusion of the spool support pin from the surface of thebracket arm breaks the line of design of the bracket arm and detractsfrom the overall aesthetic appeal of the machine. Accordingly, it isdesirable that the pin be otherwise positioned to enhance aestheticappeal.

SUMMARY This invention relates to the art of sewing machines,

3,444,833 Patented May 20, 1969 and more particularly to a novel andimproved spool holding means adapted to be mounted on the sewing machinewhereby the spool can be held in either a lowered stored position or inan upright exposed operable position.

The present invention overcomes the prior art deficiencies by providinga spool holding means including a fold-away mechanism. This mechanismcomprises a pivotally supported spool supporting arm to which a regularspool pin may be secured. A pivot stud carried 'by the arm is journaledfor rotation in a bore formed in a bracket which is adapted to besecured to the sewing machine. A spring loaded adjustable plunger housedin the bracket engages an annular recess on the pivot stud to lock thestud in place with capacity for turning movement on the machine. In theannular recess, the stud is formed with slabbed surfaces providingplunger abutments adapted to maintain the spool holder in an operable orinoperable position. The slabbed surfaces are formed so as to providestops which limit the turning movement of the spool pin arm so that thelatter cannot abut against and damage the sewing machine upon which itis mounted. This construction facilitates storage of the machine in acabinet or carrying case without having to worry about any elementsprotruding therefrom which might preclude storage in certain areas onlylarge enough for the machine per se. Also, the possibility of damagingthe spool holder itself is substantially decreased since it is wellconcealed within a cavity in the machine frame when the latter is storedaway.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a noveland improved adjustable spool support.

Another object is to provide a fold-away spool holder whereby theoverall height of the sewing machine frame is substantially reduced.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a sewing machinehaving a more compact silhouette which is most desirable for sewingcabinets of the drop head type.

Another object of this invention is to facilitate manufacture of aportable sewing machine carrying case which is smaller and slimmer thanheretofore attainable.

Having in mind the above and other objects that will be evident from anunderstanding of the disclosure, the invention comprises the devices,combinations and arrangements of parts as illustrated in the presentlypreferred embodiment of the invention which is hereinafter set forth insuch detail as to enable those skilled in the art readily to understandthe function, operation, construction and advantages of it when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a rear perspective view ofa sewing machine embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical crosssectional view takensubstantially along the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of an embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged assembled vertical crosssectional view takensubstantially along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged rear elevational view taken substantially alongthe line 55 of FIGURE 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings,wheren like reference characters designate like or corresponding partsthroughout the several views, there is shown in FIGURE 1 a conventionaltype sewing machine 10, such as illustrated in United States Patent No.3,204,594, having a frame which includes a bed 11 having a flat worksupporting surface 12. The bed has a raised platform 13 disposed at oneend upon which is mounted a standard 14 of a bracket arm 15 terminatingin a head 16. As best illustrated in FIGURE 1, an adjustable spoolsupport which includes a spool supporting arm 40 pivoted to a supportingbracket is adapted to be secured to the back portion of the bracket arm15 of the sewing machine 10.

The spool supporting arm 40 terminates in a circular spool pin holder 21to which the regular spool pin 23 is secured. Commercially availablespools of thread 24 may be axially mounted on the spool pin 23 and usedas a source of supply of needle thread 25. The sewing machine 10 has athread guide 22 located on the head 16 to guide the thread to a take-upmechanism (not shown). The thread guide 22 is hinged in a conventionalmanner so that it does not protrude from the sewing machine when themachine is placed in stored position.

The type of thread unwinder used in this embodiment has proven to behighly advantageous and desirable, and reference may be had to UnitedStates Patent No. 3,122,113 for a more complete description thereof. Thedisposition of the spool 24 on the pin 23 as shown in FIGURE 1, providesfor relatively constant, substantially reduced, thread tension since thespool need not be rotated as thread is supplied therefrom. A circularretaining cap 26 mounted on the free end of the pin 23 prevents thespool 24 from being pulled off the pin as needle thread is drawntherefrom.

The supporting bracket 30 and supporting arm 40 are positionedsubstantially out of the line of sight 18 of the operator withoutsacrificing visibility of needle thread supply 24. The upright position27 of the spool supporting arm 40 and holder 21, as shown in FIGURES 1and 2, is the position in which these members are held relative to thebracket arm 15 when the machine is being operated. The dashed lines inFIGURE 2 illustrate the lowered storage or inoperative position 28 ofthese members.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, it is seen that a portion 17 of the frame ofthe bracket arm 15 is provided with an internally threaded channel 19which is adapted to threadably receive an anchoring screw 31 having abeveled lower end 32. An aperture 34 formed in bracket arm 15 is adaptedto receive a lug 33 therein. The lug 33 extends from the peripherallydisposed substantially rectangular supporting surface 35 of thesupporting bracket 30. A recessed channel 36 (see FIGURE 3) having asloping Wall 37 is formed on the top surface of lug 33 and is laterallydisposed to the rear of surface 35. Formed within the bracket arm .15 isan upstanding boss 38 which abuts the bottom upwardly sloping surface ofthe lug 33. The beveled end 32 of the anchoring screw 31 engages thesloping wall 37 thereby causing the bottom surface of lug 33 to contactthe boss 38. The above arrangement secures the rectangular surface 35tightly against the back surface of the bracket 15. The supportingsurface 35 is slightly larger than the aperture 34 formed in the bracketarm 15 so that the aperture is completely hidden from view as shown inFIGURE 1.

The spool supporting arm 40 is elongated and comprises an upper portion41 and a lower portion 42 angularly disposed in obtuse relationship toeach other. The upper portion 41 terminates in an integrally formedcircular spool pin holder 21 which carries the spool pin 23 in a mannerwell known in the art. Press fitted into a substantially annular recess43 having a flat 44 formed in the lower portion 42 of the supporting arm40, is a pivot stud keyed against rotation within the recess 43. Thepivot stud 50 is formed with a flat 53 which is adapted to be alignedwith the flat 44 formed within the recess 43. The pivot stud 50 has aradially disposed groove 55 formed substantially intermediate of itsextremities with said radial groove 55 having two slabbed plungerabutment surfaces 56 and 56. The plunger abutment surface 56 is locatedto maintain the adjustable spool support 20 in its elevated operableposition 27 while plunger abutment surface 56 is located to maintainsaid spool support 20 in its lowered storage position 28. Thus it isseen that the angularly shaped arm 40 is adapted to support a spool 24both in an operable and inoperable position.

As shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, the supporting bracket 30 is provided withconcentrically disposed upper and lower channels 60, 61 respectively,for housing a spring loaded adjustable plunger mechanism comprising aplunger 70, an adjusting screw 71 and a coil spring 72. The plunger 70-which is endwise slidable in the lower channel 61 is provided with aspring abutment surface '73. The adjusting screw 71 threadably engagesthe internally threaded upper channel 60. As best illustrated in FIGURE4, the coil spring 72 is situated between the plunger 70 and theadjusting screw 71, and has a lower portion thereof disposed about anupper end of the plunger 70 which extends from the surface 73. Thespring 72 is compressively constrained against the plunger springabutment surface 73 by means of the adjusting screw 71 thereby axiallyloading the plunger 70. The loading can be varied to any desired degreeby merely adjusting the screw 71. As shown in FIGURE 3, the supportingbracket 30 is also provided with a channel 63 substantially normallydisposed relative to channels 60 and 61 and located at the lower end ofthe plunger mechanism channels to lower channel 61 whereby the channelsintersect and form an orifice through which the lower extremity of theplunger 70 may protrude.

As shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, the pivot stud 50 carried by the arm 40 isjournaled for rotation in the channel 63. The pivot stud is locked inplace, having only a capacity for turning movement, when the springloaded adjustable plunger 70 engages the pivot stud radial groove 55.The pivot stud slabbed surfaces 56 and 56' are preferably formed by anend mill which has not cut completely across the stud so as to formstops thereon which limit the turning movement of the spool pin arm 40,so that the latter cannot abut against and damage the sewing machineupon which it is mounted.

The radial groove 55 formed with the slabbed surfaces 56 and 56 form acam section as shown by the crosssection in FIGURE 4. As the operatorrotatably moves the arm 40 between operating and storage positions, theplunger 70 reciprocates endwise in the supporting bracket lower channel61 and continuously applies tension to the pivot stud 50 duringrotation. The tension is such as to allow for rotation of the pivot stud50 whereby one of the surfaces 56 or 56' will contact the lower end ofthe plunger 70 depending on whether the spool is in operative or storedposition.

However, when the spool pin arm 40 is rotated to storage position 28,the spool pin 23 is disposed beneath the bracket arm 15 in a cavity oropening formed between the bracket arm 15 and flat work supportingsurface 12, thereby facilitating the storage of the machine in either acabinet or carrying case without having to make provisions for any addedheight or depth.

Numerous alterations of the structure herein disclosed will suggestthemselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understoodthat the foregoing disclosure relates to a preferred embodiment of ourinvention which is for purposes of illustration only and not to beconstrued as a limitation of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sewing machine having a frame, spool supporting means includinga support arm, means for pivotally securing said arm to said sewingmachine frame for turning movement between an upright operative positionand a lowered inoperative position, said pivotal securing meanscomprising a bracket having a bore formed therein, said bracket beingsecured to the frame of said machine, a pivot stud carried by thesupport arm having formed thereon cam surface means comprising surfacesproviding abutments defining the limits of turning movement of saidsupport arm, said abutment surfaces being adapted to maintain thesupport arm in one of its upright operative and lowered inoperativepositions, said pivot stud being journaled for turning movement in saidbore, and pin means capable of supporting a spool carried by the upperend of said spool supporting arm.

2. In a sewing machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pivot studis formed with a peripheral groove including said cam surface means,constructed and arranged to resiliently engage said cam surface meansfor cooperating with said abutments to maintain sufiicient tension onsaid pivot stud to facilitate turning movement thereof and to maintainsaid support arm in a selected one of its operable and inoperablepositions.

3. In a sewing machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sewingmachine includes a bracket arm, said cam surface means being constructedand arranged such that in its lowered inoperative position said supportarm is disposed with said supporting pin means substantially below saidbracket arm.

4. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said spool supporting pinis disposed horizontally.

5. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pivot stud isdisposed in substantially the same axial direction as is said spoolsupporting pin.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,450,837 10/1948 Marsac.

H. HAMPTON HUNTER, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

